1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a plasma display panel, and more particularly, to a plasma display panel having an improved electrode structure.
2. Discussion of Related Technologies
Generally, a plasma display panel (hereinafter, referred to as a PDP) is a display device in which vacuum ultraviolet rays (VUV) emitted from plasma generated by gas discharge excite phosphors to emit visible light, thereby forming predetermined images.
The PDP can be manufactured as a large-size screen of more than 60 inches diagonal with a thickness of less than 10 cm. Because it is a self-emitting display device, like a cathode ray tube display, there is no distortion due to viewing angle and it has outstanding color reproduction. Moreover, its manufacturing process is simpler than that of a liquid crystal display device, so that the PDP has advantages in manufacturability and cost. Accordingly, the PDPs have been touted as a next generation flat panel display and television for industrial purposes.
PDPs have been under development since 1970. Generally, a three-electrode surface discharge structure has been used. According to the three-electrode surface discharge structure, a PDP is composed of a front substrate where display electrodes are formed on the same plane and a rear substrate which is a predetermined distance away from the front substrate and where address electrodes are formed. Discharge gases are disposed between the front substrate and the rear substrate.
An address discharge between one of the display electrodes and the address electrode selects a discharge cell. A sustain discharge between the display electrodes generates a plasma, which ultimately generates visible light, as discussed above.
Currently, each display electrode generally comprises an expansion electrode and a metal electrode. The expansion electrodes are positioned opposite to each other in each discharge cell to form a discharge gap.
However, these expansion electrodes do not have high electrical conductivity, resulting in high discharge firing voltages.
In addition, it has been reported that ambient light reflected from the front substrate of the PDP decreases the contrast in the PDP.